Just when Manchester United think things can't get worse under Louis van Gaal, they manage to plumb new depths.
Tonight, it was a surprise Europa League loss at Denmark's Midtjylland, days after tripping up at relegation-threatened Sunderland.
Football writer Daniel Harris finds it "peculiar" that Louis van Gaal has not walked away and mused about why United are still not making the decision to part ways with the Dutchman, discussing potential clauses in his contract which may be staying the club's hands in contrast to the David Moyes situation.
"It is possible that they want to save a couple of million quid on not firing him. But in a way it's peculiar that he hasn't quit because he's looked a broken man since December and without that much fire in him to do anything about it," he said, while contrasting Van Gaal's touchline demeanour during the Netherlands' World Cup run to the semi-finals.
But Harris also detailed the mismanagement at United which has led to the current dire situation.
Wayne Rooney (Picture by: Martin Rickett / PA Wire/Press Association Images)
"There aren't many goals in this team. This was a very obvious mistake at the beginning of the season. The success of their season was more or less going to entail at the very least a top four finish and a championship challenge. But they were going to need Rooney to score 20 league goals probably and also Memphis was going to have to come off as well because you couldn't see where the goals were going to come off," said Harris, who also added that things could have gone even more badly if the deadline day deal for David De Gea had gone through and they hadn't signed Anthony Martial who has 10 goals so far.
Harris also gave his take on the Wayne Rooney future situation given that the Manchester United striker is on an extraordinary salary, amid interest from China.
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